tbiegalski This is a wonderful study of the face of evil and its impact upon the lives of its characters. The narrative is nonlinear and may be confusing at first if one is not warned, but once a viewer is aware of this he/she should have no difficulty understanding the film. The storyline is initially split and follows two seemingly unrelated characters, which are somehow (at first we don't know) linked through a third subplot involving a small-town sheriff and some crime which has yet to be revealed. One storyline involves a teenage boy who has experienced the worst type of loss and is now emotionally alone in the world. And there is a small-town waitress who has established a relationship with an ex-con over years in a pen-pal program. The waitress has a glass-eye which is a symbolic reference to the movie's title. This glass-eye exists in the world of the inanimate, and the scenes of human despair and sorrow are reflected in and across it without judgment, action, or recourse, as the Eye of God viewing this world exists totally separated of its theater. At the film's end we are reminded of the story of Abraham and Isaac and that the actions of any Judeo-Christian god are very seldom held up to the same standards to which he holds his people. This movie took my breath away and haunted me for days after I initially saw it. It's memory still haunts me.

Tulsan At the risk of drowning from swimming against the tide, I can't agree with the rating on this film. My wife and I just stared at each other when it was over. In an attempt to be "artsy", the director used adulterated and convoluted time frames that only distracted the viewer. Actually, that was one of the things that kept my attention...trying to separate the scenes into past, present, and future. And his editing didn't help. There was way too much "dead air", again an ill-fated attempt at "artsy".Aside from those complaints, the film has redeeming value. Being from Oklahoma, I can tell you it was well researched. There were only two or three times that words/phrases appeared that are not native to this area (a feat seldom achieved by stories set in Oklahoma). It appeared that all the outdoor filming was done in Oklahoma, although not all in Kingfisher. I recognized several scenes filmed in other Oklahoma towns. Secondly, some of the acting bordered on brilliant. Acting that, if found in a better constructed film, would have been recognized by the industry. While I think the film is absolutely unworthy of it's rating, if you want to watch something that's a little out of the norm, with a good story line, and some good acting, and you don't mind a little depression, check it out.

SubPsych This is one of very few movies that I can actually say changed my life. There has never been any other film or work of art that has had such an emotional effect on me. Martha Plimpton and Nick Stahl are extraordinary; never have I cared so much for two fictional characters. And writer/director Tim Blake Nelson could not have possibly done better for his film debut. This is a movie you will never forget.

wizard-7 Critics say the writer/director slowly brings two stories together. As someone who grew up in Kingfisher, Ok (or a Texas town just like it) the two stories are one: Everyone is connected in towns of that size.Critics say the writer/director uses a shattered time line. That, too, is simplistic. As this artist knows, life is not a straight line, because life "occurs" and then on reflection, we discover it "happened." I was 18 yesterday, and I'm 62 now, and like the characters in the film, I've drifted back and forth from event to event. Memory is as real as reality.Critics say the religious overtones of the story are the major weakness as the writer/director tries to give "significance" to his tale. Another simplified answer from non-religious, non-small town, non-Southwestern people. "The Prophet," now that's an abundance of religion. Tim Blake Nelson actually under-played religion in this very religious film.Another member commented: SEE THIS FILM. I echo those comments. When I take movies to my island....